


My Christmas Wish

by mimia108



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, Mutual Pining, Not Epilogue Compliant, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-13
Updated: 2016-12-13
Packaged: 2018-09-08 03:54:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8829472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mimia108/pseuds/mimia108
Summary: Every year since she was 5 ~ Hermione Granger has made a Christmas wish on Christmas Eve.  This year with the war against "He who shall rot in hell forever" over she is about to make the most important "wish" of her life.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Desert_Sea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Desert_Sea/gifts).



> To the beautiful and amazing Desert_Sea who gave me the courage to step out in faith and write a story of my own.  
> To Marriage1988 and SouthernBelle50plus ~ members of the "M" team for your encouragement and friendship.  
> To Severus Snape ~ who gives us the most intense and amazing feels and a longing to have a "Severus" to call our own. For without him we would not have all these wonderful stories to enjoy.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the castle not a creature was stirring not even a...well that wasn't entirely true.  High up in Gryffindor Tower ~ one Hermione Granger was wide awake and getting ready to make her yearly journey down to the Great Hall to make her "Christmas wish".  She had spent months preparing for this one and she was finally ready.  She sighed and looked out her window watching as the snow gently blanketed the castle in white.  This year she would make the most important wish of her life.

She fondly thought back to when it had all started.  She was 5 and it was the beginning of a tradition that would become the most important part of her Christmas season.  She smiled as she thought back on that first Christmas Eve.  As night settled over the house with her parents busy doing whatever it was they did on Christmas Eve. Hermione sat down in front of the tree and began to sing.  Silent night...Holy Night.  When she had finished she pulled out her note and began...

_Dear God ~ Master of the Universe_

_Thank you for the blessings that you have given me this year.  I come to you now to make my Christmas wish.  This year I wish for a book on Humpback Whales with lots of pictures. Thank you and Happy Christmas!_

_Yours truly,_

_Hermione_

Hermione smiled  as she thought of that very first Christmas wish.  How simple it was back then...the pure innocence of a five year old child. Then she reflected on the moment  when she received the answer to her _Christmas wish_.  It was a few weeks after Christmas that year when it was time to visit her mom's friend, Betty.  They always went and spent a day with her sometime after Christmas and this year was no exception.  They enjoyed a lovely visit and as they were getting ready to leave Betty pulled Hermione aside and said, "I saw this and thought you would enjoy it"  There it was ~ her book ~ the answer to her "wish"...a book on Humpback whales.  Her heart soared and was filled with wonder and pure happiness.

She let out a soft sigh...it was time.  She quietly made her way out the door and headed toward the Great Hall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS/HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

_Meanwhile deep in the dungeons_

One ~ Severus Snape had gotten himself into a quite the tizzy!  His thoughts would not let him rest.  In all his years he'd never felt like this and he just had no idea what to do about it .  He had always considered himself a Grinch!  Christmas ~ bah humbug.  All that had changed this year as after 20+ years he was finally free.  No more being controlled by two equal egomaniacs.  One for the "greater good" and one "destructor of the known world".  Thank God he was a free man and even more than that he had managed to survived the war. 

It was a miracle that he had survived.  His thoughts were a whirl as he thought back on the catalyst that had helped him survive.  Weeks before the final battle he had received a letter.  At the time he had no clue as to who the mysterious sender was that had sent it (he would figure that out much later) but it was written in pure desperation. She wanted to help save his life.  He stopped his pacing as he reflected back to that letter...

_Dear Severus, sir_

_For the last several weeks I have had a reoccurring dream or nightmare_ _about your death.  At first I thought it was just my mind playing out worse case scenarios but as they have continued I feel there is more to this.  In every dream I see you dying at the hand of "He who thinks he's the king of the universe but is really a big jerk" or more importantly being killed by his over grown garter snake, Nagini._

_Please sir...please take the precautions needed to survive.  I know you helped with the anti-venom for Arthur Weasley.  I know you can do this.  Make the potions you will need to survive a vicious attack from that brainless snake._

_You must survive, sir!!  You must!! If anyone deserves to have a fresh start and a life without being someone else's puppet~ it is you!!  Please ~ more than anything in this world I wish for you to survive this God forsaken war.  I will be praying for you sir ~ I will be praying for all of us.  Good must triumph over evil ~ it just must.  The alternative is unthinkable._

_Yours truly ~ Always,_

_Mim_

He smiled as he remembered that her letter basically confirmed what had been gnawing in his gut for weeks.  It was then that he went into survival mode and brewed the handful of potions that he would need  to survive that "over grown garter snake"  - indeed.  It had worked.  He was alive and Nagini met her timely death by none other than Neville Longbottom.  Justice was served. "He who thought he would live forever" was gone for good.  Everyone could breath again.

Now he was back to the problem at hand.  One ~ Hermione Jean Granger..aka Mim.  He had found out quite by accident her secret name when he had overheard her talking to Ginny Weasley and she had let it slip that her parent's special name for her was "Mim".  It made sense now.  She had been the only one that had believed in him.  She never let her faith in him waver.  Her faith had not even blinked when he had to killed Albus.  In fact her very first letter to him had been what he had held onto during the months following that awful day.

He remembered the day like it was yesterday.  He was back at Spinner's End when the owl arrived and dropped the letter.  As no one knew where he was to say he was highly suspicious would have been an understatement.  Still after checking it thoroughly with every spell he could think of he deemed it safe to open and read.  What he had read left him utterly speechless ~ that was saying a lot!  No one left Severus Snape speechless but she had.

His thoughts drifted to that first letter...

_Dear Professor Snape ~ sir,_

_I send you this letter to offer you my support.  I understand that you are probably feeling the lowest that you have ever felt at any point in your life.  I can't imagine the pain you must be in.  I can only offer you this._

_I know that Professor Dumbledore has not been well.  Whatever was happening with his hand was obviously effecting him severely.  If I were to guess I believe it is/was going to be fatal.  It was only a matter of time until it killed him.  As Prof. Dumbledore trusted you completely I put my trust in you as well.  I think that it was his intention all along to have you end his life so that 1)he didn't suffer any longer than needed and 2) that what better way to convince "He who is totally an arse" that you are truly on the dark side._

_I will stand beside you in spirit until the very end.  It may not be much but I hope it gives you just a little bit of comfort knowing that there is at least one person out there that is standing with you.  I believe in you ~ Severus.  Stay strong ~ stay true to the side of light ~ may you hold steady to your course until it is complete.  May we all stay strong in the days to come._

_Yours truly,_

_Mim_

It was her letter that he carried close to his heart.  It was her letter that in the dark days that came after that he coveted.  Whenever he was having a really bad day he would take her letter out and read it.  It was like a balm to his soul and would give him the needed energy to go on.  Her letter ~ it meant everything to him.  He had taken extensive precautions to insure that no one but him could read the words on it.  He also had made it so that nothing short of the coming apocalypse could destroy it.  In the darkest time of his life her simple letter of trust had become his lifeline.  He would cherish it forever.

What was he going to do.  She had woven herself around his heart and there was no way he would ever be able to let her go.  The truth was he didn't want to and it was getting more impossible every day to not let her know just how much she meant to him.  As he thought on this he resumed his pacing.  What was he going to do!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS/HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Severus pondered what he was going to do with the situation he found himself in ~ our Hermione was making her way steadily to the Great Hall.  As she walked quietly along her thoughts went back to previous years and the Christmas wishes she had made.  The thought of her Christmas wishes always warmed her heart.  As she had grown older she had used her "wish" for moments that she felt were important or as she had done quite often lately ~ she used her "wish" for someone else.

The first year she had done that was when she was 8.  She had used her wish for her Nana Martha who had been very sick that year.

 

  _Dear God ~ Master of the Universe_

_Thank you for the blessings that you have given me this year.  I am so grateful for all of them and thank you in advance for the ones to come._

_I come to you now to make my Christmas wish.  This year I desire to use my wish for my Nana Martha.  She is very sick and the doctors don't think she is going to get better.  Please heal my Nana and make her better as she is such a wonderful person and deserves to live a while longer.  I thank you for answering this my Christmas wish.  Happy Christmas!!_

_Yours truly,_

_Hermione_

It had taken more than 3 months but it had happened.  Nana Martha had made a miraculous recovery and the doctors had even admitted that it was a miracle.  However, Hermione knew in her heart that her Christmas wish had been answered and she silently said a big thank you.  Nana lived 3 more years before she left this world for the next.  Hermione never took for granted the extra time she had been given with her Nana.

As she continued to walk she thought of other years and the "wish" she had made.  She now kept a journal with every wish and when that wish was answered.  Some came quickly while some took awhile.  The one thing that always happened at some point during the year was that the "wish" would be answered.  It always excited her to see how it would happen - when it happened and it always left her with such a profound feeling of gratitude that it was earth shattering.

She then thought of her "wish" that she had made when she was 10.  It had been an increasingly painful year.  All the kids at school had abandoned her and thought she was some kind of freak.  All because she was different ~ she didn't understand why things happened especially when she was upset.  They just did.  She couldn't control it but they had decided that she was trouble and now she was on the outside looking in. 

So that Christmas her wish was a simple one from the heart...

 

_Dear God ~ Master of the Universe_

_Thank you for the blessings that you have given me this year.  I am so grateful for all of them and thank you in advance for the ones to come._

_I come to you now to make my Christmas wish.  This year I need to understand "why" I am so different.  Why doesn't anyone want to be my friend.  Why do I feel so alone.  Will I ever not feel this way.  Please help me to understand "why"_

_I thank you for answering this my Christmas wish.  Happy Christmas!!_

_Yours truly,_

_Hermione_

As Hermione thought on that Christmas "wish" a small tear ran down her face.  It had indeed been such an emotionally charged request.  She could still feel every painful emotion that she had felt the moment she had made her "wish" known.  She had just wanted to belong.

The answer to her "wish" came when Professor Minerva McGonagall had made her way to the Granger home with her Hogwarts letter that summer!  At that moment all the why's were answered and she felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her small shoulder's.  She was a witch...a witch!  A whole new world was about to open up for her and she couldn't wait for it to start!  September 1st could not come fast enough.

Hermione had arrived at the Great Hall.  She loved how the trees were decorated so bright and cheerful.  Her favorite was the one at the front by the teachers table.  It was the biggest one.  She loved the candles floating above the tables as the snow gently fell from the enchanted ceiling.  She silently made her way down to the front and sat down in front of the tree.  She took a deep breath and began to sing...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS/HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus was still in a tizzy and had decided that a walk was in order.  He couldn't sit still (or pace) any longer.  He needed to clear his head.  Yes a stroll through the castle was exactly what he needed.  He grabbed his cloak and off he went.

As he climbed the stairs out of the dungeons ~ his thoughts were still on his "Mim".  She had completely enraptured his soul and he felt like a man possessed.  How did he let himself get in this state.  He had gotten soft.  He should have never let his guard down but he did and now he had no way of getting it back up.

It had started so innocently.  She had come back to study and get ready to take her N.E.W.T.S.  She absolutely refused to be classified as a student when she returned as she vehemently declared that she had fought in a flipping war - had risked her life for the "greater good" and had helped defeat "He who need a good swift kick in the arse".  It was agreed in the best interest of all that she would just be ~ no title, no nothing she was there to complete her studies.  Severus snickered at the memory.  She was a feisty little thing and he loved that about her.

 She had come to him a few weeks later to ask him for help understanding some of the more complicated potions.  Now that he wasn't under "He who made my life a living hell"  and "He who wanted me to take one for the team" he was free to really enjoy her exceedingly brilliant mind.  Brilliant was an understatement ~ He was totally captivated by her.

As the weeks progressed she spent more time with him.  They would have tea in the evenings and debate the latest potion weekly or some other piece of interesting material.  They would go for walks around the lake and she would even join him on patrols just to keep him company.  Of course she confided in him that she loved it when he caught someone and enjoyed seeing them sweat under the stern eye of the Potions Master!! 

Then it happened - in one moment everything changed. We were discussing the fact that while just about everyone else would be somewhere else for the holidays  ~ we were in fact both staying at the castle.  I had spent a lot of time being in stealth mode inquiring about what to get "the girl that needs amazing Christmas gifts from me this year".  I had bought her a wide variety of gifts and as we planned to spend all day on Christmas together ~ I was going to make sure it was a Christmas she would never forget.  Alas I have gotten sidetracked.  We had just finished with finalizing our plans and as she got up to leave she leaned over and so gently placed hers lips on mine and KISSED ME!!!  My heart rate had increased to an alarming level but then again ~ it had been the most amazing moment of my life this far.  She pulled away and thanked me again and was gone.

Ever since that moment ~ that kiss ~ I've not been able to think of anything else but her...her lips...her lips on my lips...and the feeling of never wanting her to be anywhere else but with me.  I've definitely gone soft.  Where the hell has the dreaded "bat of the dungeon" gone.  Yeah...he was kidding himself.  The "bat" was gone and in its place was a lovesick puppy.  God he was hopeless.

It was as he neared the Great Hall that he heard it.  Singing...someone was singing.  It sounded like an angel and he was spellbound as he made his way to the doors and quietly slithered inside...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS/HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As she closed her eyes and began to sing she didn't see the man in black quietly creep into the Great Hall... 

_Silent night, holy night_  
_All is calm, all is bright_  
_Round yon Virgin Mother and Child_  
_Holy Infant so tender and mild_  
_Sleep in heavenly peace ~ Sleep in heavenly peace_

As she sang her mind drifted to the other Christmas "wishes" she had made since coming to Hogwarts.  It seemed that each year they were facing some kind of crisis and she had use her "wish" to help deal with that.

Age: 11~ Year 1

Her Christmas wish that year had been for friends ~ real friends.  She had received that in Harry and Ron.  Her two best friends...the brothers she never had.  She had also asked for help to find out more about a Nicholas Flamel and what was "Fluffy" hiding under that trap door.  That was quite the adventure but they had all come out of it alive and  "He who did a piss poor job of hiding in Quirrell" had been defeated once again.

Age 12 ~ Year 2

Her "wish" that year had been to help them figure out the "Chamber of Secrets".  She had been able to help find the answer.  However...getting petrified had NOT been in her plans.  Still her "wish" had been answered and Harry had been triumphant.  That's what was important.

Age 13 ~ Year 3

Her "wish" this year was simple ~ _Please help us not to die_!!  A little dramatic...yes but definitely needed.  This year was trying as it was and she had to deal with werewolves...a rat that wasn't a rat but was a rat...time travel...Sirius Black.  It's amazing that they didn't die.  Maybe her "wish" hadn't been so simple after all...they did live to see another year.

_Silent night, holy night!_  
_Shepherds quake at the sight_  
_Glories stream from heaven afar_  
_Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!_  
_Christ, the Saviour is born_  
_Christ, the Saviour is born_

Age 14 ~ Year 4

This year's "wish" was for Harry.  His name had somehow magically...sneer...gotten thrown in the goblet of fire and now he was in the Tri-Wizard Tournament.  No small feat but he was in there and as it was nothing short of being incredibly dangerous.  He needed the "wish" more than she did.  She didn't even hesitate and used her "wish" for Harry so that he would survive.

She hadn't realized just how important her wish had been at that time.  He did survive the tournament but more amazing was that he survived "He who just won't stay dead" coming back.  Knowing Harry could have died but didn't had given her a profound sense of understanding of just how much her "wish" had worked its magic and kept him safe.

Age 15 ~ Year 5

This year's "wish" was a no brainer.  A certain Dolores "pretty in pink - not" Umbridge needed to be taken down.  She was just pure evil in obnoxious pink.  If I never see pink again it will be too soon.  It took all year but eventually Umbridge got her just reward.  So what if the centaurs helped make it happen.  Couldn't happen to a nicer git.   

_Silent night, holy night  
Son of God, love's pure light_

Age 16 ~ Year 6

This year's "wish" had been born out of a deep longing to know who my true love was.  I had to endure the nauseating display that was Lavender Brown and "WonWon".  Oh my God I still want to puke just thinking about it.  Out of witnessing that came my "wish" ~ the most important one that I would make until tonight.  The one "wish" that had literally changed my life.  The one "wish" I knew would complete me one day.  I think everyone at one point dreams of their one true love and I was no different.   Not that I "needed" someone but my heart longed for someone to share who I was with...someone who would accept me for who I was and not try to change me...someone that would understand me ~ encourage me...help me to become all that I knew I could be.  Someone that would be:

my yin to his yang 

my beauty to his beast

my heart to his soul

my obnoxious know-it-all-ness to his snarkiness

Yes...my heart's desire was to find that one person who would complete me and that I could complete as well and so I made my Christmas wish...

 

_Dear God ~ Master of the Universe_

_Thank you for the blessings that you have given me this year.  I am so grateful for all of them and thank you letting Umbridge get what she had coming.  Thank you for the blessings to come and please keep us safe as war is coming and your protection is in great need.  Not just for me but for everyone._

_I come to you now to make my Christmas wish.  This year my wish is to find my one "true" love.  That person that you have chosen for me.  That one person that will complete me and I will complete them.  It doesn't matter if he is older than me...in fact I think that I would prefer that he would be as the boys my age are all dunderheads and I'm afraid I would hex them in places that wouldn't be very nice._

_I thank you for answering this my Christmas wish.  Happy Christmas!!_

_Yours truly,_

_Hermione_

She snickered under her breath as she thought of that wish.  What she hadn't snickered about was what happened when she realized who her true love was.  It had been so shocking that she had spent many days contemplating just what it meant.  The magnitude of the revelation caused her many a sleepless night.  It was not because of "who" he was ~ she had always seen him as more than the what he portrayed.  He was indeed a deep...complex...intense individual but under that layer that he had so carefully built was a man that was loyal...brave...compassionate!  Could she love him...yes...yes she could and in admitting that she knew in her heart that she already did.

Smiling as she continued sing...yes...her true love ~ the man that could complete her and she him was none other than Severus Snape.  It had been mind-boggling (mind-blowing was more like it) but not unwelcomed.

Shortly after she had come to this epiphany - Death Eaters had stormed the castle...all hell had broken loose and Severus had killed Professor Dumbledore.  It was a terrible time of epic proportions but even though no one else saw it she had.  She knew with every part of her being that Severus had not killed Dumbledore in hate as the dreaded "Death Eater" but instead it had been done in mercy and compassion.

A few weeks later she had written him a letter letting him know that she believed in him and that she would stand by him until the end.  She had signed it with her pet name ~ her parent's favorite nickname for her...Mim.  She didn't want to reveal who she was in case the letter fell into the wrong hands.  She figured in time she would let him know it was her - that she had written the letters. She was nervous about it but knew that it was time to let him know that the person that had written him letters over the last year was her. 

It was time to tell him she loved him.  He would either feel the same or he would hex her and kick her out.  She didn't think that he would as she had sensed a subtle shift in him over the last few months.  They had spent a great deal of time together and it was always pleasant ~ more than pleasant if she were being honest with herself.  No...she felt it in her heart that his feelings for her were as strong as the feelings she held for him.  It might not be love yet...but it would be in time.  Yes...Severus would be hers she was sure of it.

_Radiant beams from Thy holy face_  
_With the dawn of redeeming grace_  
_Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth ~ Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth_

Age 17 ~ What should have been: Year 7

This year's "wish" had been made on the run.  There was no Christmas tree...no holly...no presents.  She now had no parents ~ having to Oblivate them to save their lives and keep them safe.  Harry, Ron and her were out hunting for horcurxes that contained a portion of "He who was stupid enough to split his soul - 7 times". 

What...an...idiot!  It was what it was.  The end would be here soon and hopefully the side of "Good" would come out on top.  At this point ~ it wasn't looking good.  She had decided to take the middle watch of the night so that she would be able to be make her "wish" in the quiet of the woods.  With everything that was going on her "wish" this year would be simple.

_Dear God ~ Master of the Universe_

_Thank you for the blessings that you have given me this year.  I am so grateful for all of them and thank you for showing me that my true love is Severus Snape.  He will be a challenge but one I am happy to tackle (in more ways then one).  Thank you for the blessings to come and please keep us safe as war is here and again your protection is in great need.  Not just for me but for everyone._

_I come to you now to make my Christmas wish.  This year my wish is that Severus and I both survive the war. I want a chance at having a happily ever after and he is it for me.  Please use me to not only help Severus survive but Harry and the others. I thank you for answering this my Christmas wish.  Happy Christmas!!_

_Yours truly,_

_Hermione_

The war had been hard fought.  The price had been high and many had not survived.  Hermione shuddered as she remembered the dreams that had plagued her for weeks showing her that Severus was going to die via that "snake from the pit of hell".  Finally she could take it no more and she wrote to Severus begging him to please ~ please take the necessary precautions so that he didn't die from that obnoxious slithering pile of slime.  Thankfully and she had thank every know deity that he had survived and so had she.  A little worse for wear thanks to Bellatrix but she was alive and that's all the matter.  She lived...Harry lived...Severus lived...and "He who thought he was invincible" didn't.  She could live with that.

_Silent night, holy night_  
_All is calm, all is bright_  
_Round yon Virgin Mother and Child_  
_Holy Infant so tender and mild_  
_Sleep in heavenly peace ~ Sleep in heavenly peace_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS/HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus had been making his way slowly toward the front of the hall as Hermione sang.  He didn't want to startle her but he was drawn to her...like a moth to a flame.  He arrived at the front just as she finished singing.  He wasn't sure what to do ~ she was facing away from him so he just stood there and waited to see what she would do next.  His was mesmerized with her.

As she finished singing Hermione reached inside for the journal that contained all of her Christmas "wishes".  This one "wish"...the one she was about to make...the most important one of her life.  This "wish" was her heart's desire...what she wanted more than life itself. 

She took a deep breath and began...

_Dear God ~ Master of the Universe_

_Thank you for the blessings that you have given me this year.  I am so grateful for all of them and thank you for helping us win the war against "He who thought he had a clue but didn't".  Thank you for showing me that Nagini "the snake with delusions of grandeur"  was going to try and kill Severus and thank you that he listened to me ~ even though he didn't know it was me.  Thank you that he lived as did Harry and of course thank you that I lived, too.  Thank you for the blessings to come in the coming year and that there will be peace on earth ~ good will to all men._

_I come to you now to make my Christmas wish ~ this is the most important wish I have ever made.  This year my wish is that I need your help to tell Severus that I love him and that he is my one and only true love.  That I want to spend the rest of my life being totally and completely and unconditionally and perfectly in love with him.  Help me to find a way to show him my love for him is real.  If it's not too much to ask ~ Please let him search his heart and find that he loves me, too._

_I thank you for answering this my Christmas wish.  Happy Christmas!!_

_Yours truly,_

_Hermione_

As Hermione finished ~ Severus stood there in total and complete shock!  She loved him...him ~ the ex-death eater...grumpy...snarky...greasy git...bat of the dungeons.  None of that matter to her.  She loved him.  As he stood there taking it all in ~  he thought of the Grinch and how his heart had grown 3 sizes that day and he understood.  She had wormed her way into his heart and he would never be the same.  He thought about it and he knew...he knew beyond a shadow of any doubt...that he loved her, too!

With Hermione's back still to him ~ he attempted to speak

H...Herm...io..n...e ~ okay so that didn't come out very well.  He cleared his throat and tried again.

Mim...

Hermione froze...she knew that voice.  Oh my God...how long has he been here...what did he hear...would this moment be the one where her life ended...slowly with tears in her eyes she turned and stood to face the man that she had grown to love so deeply that if he didn't feel the same it would be the end of her.

S...Severus  ~ How long have you been there??

Severus smirked at her and with a look of pure love that spoke volumes to her...simply said...

Long enough...

Long enough to know that you are the most amazing woman I've ever known...long enough to know that you have bewitched me body and soul...long enough to know that I wish to never be parted from you from this day forward...and long enough to know that I love you with my whole heart...my soul and all that I am.

Hermione...no longer able to contain her joy ~ ran and leaped into his arms.  As she looked deeply into his eyes ~ he raised his hand to touch her cheek and with all the love that he had ~ he kissed her.  It was not just any kiss but a kiss of true love!!  She was now his and would be from this moment forward.  She was all he would ever want.  She would complete him...always and he would do the same for her. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS/HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_In the wee hours of Christmas morning..._

Severus and Hermione laid entangled together as one having spent the previous hours making love as if the world might end...as if they could never in a million years get enough of each other which of course they couldn't...as if they were making up for lost time which of course they were and if you listened closely you could hear their hearts beat as one...in that quiet, peaceful moment ~ they both knew with every fiber of their beings that their souls were now interwoven and entwined as one.  No one or nothing would ever be able to separate them again.

Severus had never in all his life felt so loved.  He had never felt so complete.  He had never felt so happy.  He knew right then and there that he was changed forever.

As he pulled her closer to snuggle her more deeply he whispered in her ear..."So when do you start thinking of your Christmas wish for next year?"

Hermione looked up into his dark, beautiful eyes...those eyes that spoke of the depth of his love for her ~ she smiled and playfully said, "Well I usually start shortly after I have the answer to my last Christmas "wish".  Although I've never had one answered so quickly before."

Severus smiled at her and asked: "So...do you have any idea what you might want your next "wish" to be?"

She pondered his question for a moment before a devilish grin appeared on her face.  "Well...you know what they say...First comes love...then comes marriage and then comes baby snakes and cubs in the baby carriage!!"

With an equally devilish grin as he pulled her closer and cover her body with his ~ He said, "Well...we may just have to do something about that"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS/HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Epilogue :)

The following year was a busy one for our Severus and Hermione.

Hermione finished her studies in March of that year and Severus quickly snatched her up as his apprentice. 

Severus proposed in May after the anniversary of the end of the war against "He who was a major dipshit".

On the 7th of July they were married in a quiet ceremony down by the Black Lake.  It was a perfect day with the wedding coming off without a hitch thanks to wedding planner extraordinaire, the incomparable SouthernBelle50plus and her equally adorable assistants, Desert_Sea and Marriage1988. SouthernBelle's world famous "Chocolate Waterfall Cake" was the hit of the wedding!!  If anyone wants to know who wasn't there - Yep...it is out of this world delicious and it's to die for!  Planning a wedding ~ need a cake ~ then SouthernBelle50+ is your girl!!  Don't delay as she and her girls are in hot demand and there is a long waiting list. Thank goodness they are great friends and could squeeze us in :) 

The following school year started with little fanfare as they adjusted to the life of teaching potions to dunderheaded students, most of whom had the IQ of a Bertie Bott's every flavor bean (one of the yucky ones) and just enjoying being able to be together.  As far as they were concerned it was the perfect life for them.  The best part though was the fact that there were now not one but two Professors Snape to terrorized students that thought it would be a good idea to test them.  Truth be known ~ most students couldn't decide which Professor Snape scared them more.  Severus or Hermione.  They were both equally terrifying.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS/HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

_One year later..._

 

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the castle ~ not a creature was stirring except the two dark figures that made their way to the Great Hall.  They made not a sound as they both sat down in front of the Christmas tree.

As Hermione began to sing Silent Night ~ Severus wrapped his arms around her and laid his hands on her belly.  He could just start to feel the beginning of her baby bump.  They had seen Poppy earlier in the week and she had given them the news that they were expecting not one but two baby "Snapes".  Sometime in the beginning of summer their two little bundles of joy would arrive and they couldn't be happier.

If anyone had told Severus a year ago that he would be in love and married to the most beautiful woman on the planet.  That she would not only be his partner in life but in his work.  That he would be expecting twins with said beautiful woman and that he would be totally and complete besot with his life - He would have probably hex them into the next millennium.  Indeed...that was his life today all because of a Christmas "wish".

As she finished singing...she took out her "Christmas wish" journal and turned to the page where they had written out "their" first wish as a couple.  Hermione had allowed Severus to read her journal with all her "wishes" in it after they had married.  He had been amazed with what he had read.  He could feel her love in every "wish".  He felt so privileged that she had shared this very special part of her with him.

_Dear God ~ Master of the Universe_

_Hermione:_

_Thank you for the blessings that you have given us this year.  I am so grateful for all of them and thank you for the love of this amazing man.  Thank you that he completes me perfectly and is all I could ever dream of.  Thank you for the children that are growing inside me right now.  Thank you for a life so full I feel as if I will burst.  Thank you for the blessings to come in the coming year and that no matter what we face that we will face it together._

_Severus:_

_Thank you for the blessings that you have given us this year.  I am so grateful for all of them and thank you for the love of this remarkable woman.  Thank you that she completes me absolutely perfectly.  Thank you for the babies that you are blessing us with.  Thank you for a life so amazing that I still have to pinch myself.  Thank you for the blessings to come in the coming year and that no matter what we face that we will face it together._

_We come to you now to make our Christmas wish. This year our wish is: for a healthy pregnancy for Hermione and that there are no issues with the babies.  Protect them...keep them safe...help them to grow as they should.  When it comes time to deliver our little "snake and cub" please keep watch over Hermione and help her to deliver them safely with no issues or complications._

_I thank you for answering this our Christmas wish.  Happy Christmas!!_

_Yours truly,_

_Hermione and Severus_

 

On June 17th at 7:37 am ~ the Snape twins made their debut into the world.  Killian Severus and Kaylee Mim were delivered with nay an issue. Both had pitch black hair with Killian's being straight just like his dad's and Kaylee's having curls just like her mum's.  In Severus' eyes they were absolutely perfect and if his heart could have grown any more he was sure that it would have.  He was totally in love with his children.  They were one of the greatest blessings he knew he would ever receive. 

As Severus and Hermione held their newborn children - Severus' thoughts drifted off to what they might make for their Christmas wish for this coming Christmas Eve. As he watched Hermione nurse little Killian he thought of the conversation they had a few weeks ago and he smiled.  She had hinted at not being opposed to keeping up with the Weasleys and having their own Quidditch team of children.  His heart warmed with the thought of a house full of children.  He loved the sound of that.  Life had become more than either one of them had ever thought it would be.  They were truly blessed...indeed.

 

Now to you my dear readers:

"Merry ~ Happy Christmas" to you and may YOUR "Christmas wish" come true!!

 

Thank you for reading :)


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